Another EUDR backflip: How did we get here?
In a dramatic pivot, the EU’s anti-deforestation law looks like it will be pushed back for some, and reworked for all. Here’s a timeline to help with the whiplash
Policy
EU ‘meaty’ names ban: What now?
As the plant-based industry pushes back against the ban, how likely is it to be implemented?
How functional food claims are regulated
What do companies need to do to ensure their claims are compliant in the EU?
Cocoa crisis: How politics and harvests could impact the sector
Events on the ground in producing countries will have significant effects on prices
EUDR: Delay will only impact smaller operators
Downstream operators will not be required to submit due diligence statements
Inside the EUDR IT system
Problems with the system, through which businesses must submit EUDR due diligence statements, were the given reason for the regulation’s potential second delay
FAO on tackling food security through innovation
Combining tech with other forms of innovation is the only way forward
Protein transition a priority for EU investment
Utilising plant-based proteins is vital for Europe’s autonomy as the world becomes more unstable, suggests innovation council head
UPF labelling is coming - but in what form?
Ultra-processed foods could soon be immediately recognisable front-of-pack
EUDR delay: Parliament pushes back
Lawmakers are beginning to voice opposition to any potential delay of the groundbreaking legislation
EU Parliament votes to ban ‘meaty names’
The ban would severely restrict labelling for meat alternatives in the EU
EU biscuits face acrylamide reckoning
A new study shows more than a quarter of biscuits on sale blow past EU safety benchmarks for acrylamide – a probable carcinogen that’s testing regulators’ patience and shaking consumer trust
Are IT problems really to blame for EUDR delay?
Brussels blames IT systems for EUDR delays - but others say technology’s just a scapegoat
5 tips to achieve regulatory approval for novel foods
How can applicants prepare for the all-important approval process?
Opinion
Rejecting sustainability is bad for business
In the end, neglecting the environment will only harm food and beverage
Sustainable September
EUDR: How companies can ensure Indigenous rights are protected
Land use must be negotiated with Indigenous peoples
Consumers prioritise food safety in purchases
More consumers understand food safety than ever before, according to EFSA
European Commission wants to delay EUDR, again
The Environment Commissioner hopes lawmakers will agree to postpone the deforestation regulation yet another year
EUDR: Certified palm oil supports compliance in Netherlands
The RSPO’s partnership with the Dutch government gives it a key role in EUDR compliance
Sustainable September
‘Devastating’ aid cuts and fragmented funding hinder dairy’s climate ambition
Flip-flopping on policy and a lack of targeted funding for sustainability interventions is putting dairy’s green effort at risk
European Commission sued over labelling secrecy
The EU has refused to release documents over shelved plans to roll out mandatory front-of-pack labelling
Mars-Kellanova Deal: Commission restarts the clock
The EU has resumed its investigation into Mars’ $35.9bn merger with Kellanova, following a stop in July
‘Meaty’ names ban: One step closer after key Parliament vote
The European Parliament wants to further restrict labelling for meat alternatives
Global guidance on meat and dairy consumption in the works
What’s the optimal intake of animal-source foods?
UK teen energy drink ban: Is caffeine really the culprit?
The UK government will consult on banning high-caffeine energy drinks for under-16s in England over health concerns. However, a new study suggests energy drinks may only be indirectly linked to poor adolescent health, so what makes them risky?
What the EU-Mercosur deal means for food and agriculture
A wide-ranging trade deal with South American countries promises wide-reaching changes to food trade
How regulators are shaping the future of novel foods
From cell-cultivated meat to precision-fermented dairy, regulators are stepping up to support innovation
The UPF lawsuit that fizzled – and why the next one might not
A US judge tossed the first big UPF lawsuit, but with mounting science and regulators circling, bakery, snack and cereal brands shouldn’t breathe easy just yet
UK updates baby food guidelines
The government is pushing to reduce salt and sugar for babies
EUDR: US seeks ‘negligible risk’ status, and could get it
The EU has agreed US commodities pose ‘negligible risk to global deforestation’
Global plastics treaty talks collapse
After years of negotiations, no global regulations to tackle plastic pollution have been agreed
EUDR: ‘Negligible risk’ defined
A new guidance document has clarified several key parts of the EUDR
Nestlé facing “Watergate” as scandal deepens
Nestlé is under fire in France over claims it used banned filtration to hide contamination in its mineral water
Cocoa shortage reshapes recipes and what counts as chocolate
Major brands like Nestlé and Pladis have had to drop the word ‘chocolate’ from some products as cocoa content falls below legal thresholds
Aquaculture: Sustainability win or animal welfare nightmare?
Aquaculture is often touted as the solution to overfishing, but its animal welfare implications remain underexplored
Which European governments are pushing plant-based?
Despite downturn in consumer interest, plant-based diets are being promoted by governments
EU food stung with 15% tariff in US
It’s feared the trade deal will hinder the competitiveness of European food in the US
Trump’s FDA clears first foreign cultivated meat firm, Believer
A global food tech disruptor just made history in the US – and it happened under an administration not known for regulatory expansion
Unsustainable soy may soon arrive in Europe
A scrapping of the Amazon Soy Moratorium could increase the chances of deforestation-linked soy entering the EU market
Is the EU turning away from sustainability?
Over the past year, a host of sustainability legislation has been simplified or delayed
CAP payment cuts: What does it mean for EU food?
Farmers across the bloc are now facing significantly fewer subsidies
EU wants to ban some ‘meaty’ names, but not others
A proposal to restrict the marketing for meat substitutes leaves some names in the clear
Coca-Cola caught in the crosshairs? Trump and RFK take sides on sugar
President Trump’s declaration that Coke is “just better” when made with “REAL Cane Sugar,” runs counter to HHS Secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr’s assessment that it is “poison,” but it pulls a page from RFK’s playbook to spur change without regulatory review
US tariff threat returns: How could it affect EU food?
The implementation of 30% tariffs could hit Europe’s food sector hard
The EU is primed to boost biotech
Food biotechnology is central to its strategy
EUDR at a crossroads: Delays, simplification and mounting tension
Debates over Europe’s approach to policing deforestation have reached a turning point
Could the Amazon Soy Moratorium collapse?
Speculation is rife that the anti-deforestation agreement could be for the chop
After all that, HFSS promotions ban scrapped in UK
The U-turn won’t happen immediately, and food makers should still prepare for the ban
How will the Europe-Mercosur deal impact food?
Trade between the two blocs will be substantially liberalised